Helena Cassadine is a fictional character on the American soap opera General Hospital, famously originated by film actress Elizabeth Taylor in November 1981. After a brief stint by Dimitra Arliss in 1996, Constance Towers took over the role in 1997 and has returned — for periods of varying length — nearly every year since. Casting A fan of the series and wildly popular supercouple Luke Spencer and Laura Webber (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis), Taylor called then-Executive Producer Gloria Monty in 1981 and asked for a featured role. She was cast as Helena, the vengeful widow of villain Mikkos Cassadine (John Colicos), who had died at the climax of that summer's popular "Ice Princess" storyline. Arriving on the canvas on November 10, 1981, Mrs. Mikkos Cassadine sends her Emissary to all the prominent citizens of PC with invitations to attend a reception she is giving. Luke and Laura's November 16, 1981 wedding, featuring Taylor's Helena, was watched by 30 million viewers and remains the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history. Taylor's last appearance as Helena aired on November 19, 1981. Though gone, the character was mentioned several times in her absence until Dimitra Arliss appeared briefly as the character on July 25 and 26, 1996, and Constance Towers was later introduced as Helena on December 19, 1997. Towers was a regular presence on the series until April 9, 2002, later returning on October 16 and 17, 2003, in December 2003, and from January 16 to October 2004. Towers' Helena reappeared in January 2005, April to May 2005, October to November 2005, January 2006, and from October 2006 to January 2007. Towers returned from April 13 to April 21, 2009, on June 4, 2009., September 30 to October 20, 2009; February 10 to August 6, 2010; June 30 to September 29, 2011 and once again from January 11 to February 29, 2012. On October 31, 2012, it was announced that Towers would once again return to the canvas in November. She first aired on November 30 and ended her limited run on December 3, 2012. On March 2, 2013, Highlight Hollywood reported that Towers had returned to the set to begin work on a new storyline in honor of the show's 50th anniversary. Towers returned on March 29 and left on April 3 when Helena was presumed dead. Towers later returned to the role from September 17, 2014 to February